Prysmian introduces E Path, the cable industry's first green label for certified sustainable products and cable solutions. E Path marks an important step towards sustainability and environmental awareness and sets a new standard in the cable industry by providing insight into the sustainable performance of the entire cable portfolio.
What is E Path?
E Path is Prysmian's label, offering insight into its low environmental impact cable portfolio. This helps installers make informed choices and reduce their carbon footprint. It is the first green label in the cable industry and replaces the previous ECO CABLE label, which Prysmian introduced in 2021. E Path is a new and improved concept fully in line with new European regulations. The E Path label endorses that cables produced under this label are not only energy-efficient and sustainable, but are also manufactured according to strict environmental quality standards, ensuring the sustainability of both products and processes.
E Path's six criteria
To receive the E Path label, cables and services are assessed against the following six measurable and recognised criteria:
- Carbon footprint: assesses CO2 emissions during the cable's life cycle.
- Hazardous substances: Takes into account the absence of substances that are carcinogenic, toxic to reproduction or harmful to the environment.
- Recyclability/circularity: Evaluates whether the materials in the cable are recyclable.
- Recycled input: assesses the presence of recycled materials in a cable, both new and reused.
- Environmental benefits: cables with a low carbon impact or used for sustainable applications and cables with a higher CPR rating.
- Cable transmission efficiency: measures cable efficiency, how well a cable can transmit energy or data without loss.
Certification by Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas, a globally recognised leader in testing, inspection and certification, has verified that activities related to E Path are carried out in accordance with the Prysmian protocol at its Emmen (NL), PIKKALA (FI) and Oulu (FI) plants. The verification programme will be extended across more and more Prysmian sites in the future. This certification guarantees installers that the production of these cables meets the strict environmental standards set by Prysmian and is an important step towards achieving the organisation's sustainability goals.
E Path & E-LINE: what's the difference?
While E Path represents a global and comprehensive label, E-LINE is a sustainably enhanced alternative product portfolio that focuses on the use of more sustainable materials, packaging and logistics. It results in a carbon footprint improvement. For example, the products are:
- Produced locally with renewable energy,
- Made from 100% recycled copper, biobased and recycled raw materials,
- Supplied with emission-free electric transport whenever possible,
- sustainably packaged,
- and more.
Production of E-LINE products began as a pilot project in 2019. With increasing focus on sustainability and growing market demand, the E-LINE portfolio continues to grow, offering a wider range of greener cable solutions. To date, E-LINE comprises four product families for low-voltage installations, with the aim of adding new types every year. Also for medium- and high-voltage installations.
EPD vs. E Path: facilitating choice with transparency
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a comprehensive, third-party verified standardised certificate. It provides detailed information on the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle, in a quantitative and transparent manner. In a construction project, the EPD certificate is one of the key tools that helps compare different products and steer projects towards strategically important environmentally friendly options. However, classifying a product as 'sustainable' is not done on the basis of an EPD - it only presents key environmental indicators that support informed decision-making.
E Path builds on certain phases of a Life Cycle Assessment that are also part of an EPD. However, E Path involves a more comprehensive approach. It not only assesses environmental impacts, but also clearly marks products that meet strict sustainability requirements. Thus, EPDs are available for all E-LINE products, allowing customers to delve into the carbon footprint and compare it with other alternatives. In addition, all e-LINE products carry the E Path label, giving installers confidence that their choice is more sustainable.
"E Path is more than a label; it is a testament to our leadership in sustainability and commitment to a greener future for the wire and cable industry," said Dennis Marks, CEO of Prysmian Netherlands. "With solutions that enable our customers to make environmentally conscious choices, we not only support their sustainability goals, but also encourage positive changes throughout the chain."
